Welcome and Orientation

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Meet your community champions!

replies: 12

Hi everyone, We wanted to share with you the way that our wonderful Community Champions are here to support you. You may have noticed that a few of our Forums members are labelled ‘Community Champion’. Community Champions are volunteers within the Beyond Blue Forums who: have the time, skills and empathy to support other members regularly; help to welcome new members; are actively engaged members that help set the tone of our community. Our Community Champions are regular contributors to many conversations across the forums. They are a consistent and friendly voice that have committed to sharing their experience and expertise with this community. They are not health care professionals or clinicians. Like you, they have an experience with a mental health challenge or diagnosis – either for themselves or someone they care for. This forum is for people who understand what it feels like and have a lived and living experience of mental health challenges. Our Community Champions help everyone feel comfortable and confident by demonstrating what excellent peer support is all about. Click here to find out more about how you can become a Community Champion! This incredible team are excited to introduce themselves below, and we are sure you’ll see them around the forums in conversations important to you.

HELP..Am I posting in the right section?

replies: 10

Welcome to those who are considering posting for the very first time, welcome. Thought I would repost part of the words that Chris B posted awhile ago, (2014) as I can hear that people are unsure if they are posting in the right section or worried that they are posting "the wrong thing". 1.A good title makes the difference Just like a headline in a newspaper, when scanning the dozens of threads to click into, it’s only natural that people will choose the ones that resonate with them most. A title that entices the reader, or asks a question, is likely to get a better result than something non-descriptive like “Depression” or “I don't know what to do”. If you think you’re not good at choosing titles, leave it till last. Spend time writing your post, then perhaps choose a sentence from what you’ve written as the title. 2.Join in threads that have already been posted We all have our own unique stories, but part of the reason for joining a forum like this one is because you know that you will have a lot in common with others who are posting. Before starting a new thread, have a look through the current topics being discussed and see if there’s a conversation you can join in with. It can be quite common to have a handful of very similar threads happening at any one time, with members seemingly unaware that there are others right there who are going through the same thing. Talking to other members on their threads is a great way of getting yourself known so that when you post a thread of your own, people may respond quicker because they recognize your name. 3.Choose the most appropriate section for your post Many people browse the forums looking for stories specifically to do with pregnancy and parenting, employment, grief, loss, separation etc. Going straight for the “Depression” section may seem like the easiest option, but this section is often the busiest, so your post is more likely to get lost among the threads. Making good use of the different forum sections not only helps keep the forum relevant, but you’re more likely to find others who are going through the same experiences as you. Also, if you're wanting to discuss issues of trauma, abuse, suicidal thoughts or self-harm, it's really important you post in the designated section to avoid triggering others who may not wish to read about these topics. Mostly..just come and chat, we are here for you. Our amazing wizards in the background will see your message ends up in the right spot. Sarah

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SM has changed her username!

replies: 3

Hi everyone, To avoid confusion, I thought I'd let forum-goers know that my username is now Zeal. Thanks guys, Zeal

Intro post im new

replies: 3

Good evening Im *Annie* I found myself in a traumatic situation late last year and long story short after alot of drs visits I ended up with anxiety and panic disorders aswell as ptsd. Ive worked on the anxiety and panic and have pretty much returned to normal with the help of some medication which i think ive weaned off, but the ptsd is a bit more of a struggle, certain things trigger it and i have kept that part of my diagnosis from everyone i know as i feel embarassed to share it with anyone and limited my out time incase a trigger comes along. Im finding myself depressed this week which is out of character for me. Im not an overly happy person but i havnt felt any depression for a good 15years. I dont really have a conventional family as weve never really communicated well or been a *family unit*. I guess i just need somewhere to vent and to hear of others experiences with ptsd and anxiety.

New here with a little bit of health anxiety

replies: 6

Hello! I am new here so want to share what I am currently going through. I recently had some tests done which all came back clear, however, I am now questioning whether the results were right/accurate. I went to speak to a nurse after I got my results who reassured me and I thought I would be alright after that, but my mind keeps going back to think that they were incorrect. I have been googling information about it which is only making it worst (am really trying to stop this) but it has snowballed this weekend and I do not know what to do! Why cannot I accept the results. Whats worst is that after getting the results I developed a bit of a sore throat which is not helping the situation (maybe why I am not believing the results as it is a possible symptom even though I know that this could be bought on by a million different things, including excessive worrying). My mind is even questioning whether they mixed my results with someone else's or whether the nurse actually took enough blood to begin with. From googling symptoms, my mind now seems to be paying tricks on me or I think I have other symptoms Am I going crazy? Is there anyway out of this? I guess writing this down has helped a bit. Cheers.

First post, just saying G'day 😊.

replies: 4

Hey guys, just thought I'd join an online forum to get some more help and advice with my anxiety, anxiety as soon as I wake up until I get back to bed and it's the worst when I'm at work. Anxiety paralyses me to the point I can't think, I can't converse and I just feel stupid. . I used to drink and party alot on the weekends in my 20's, I had plenty of friends, I was married and bought a house all by the age of 21. I got divorced at 29, drank, more, partied too hard and lost everything and ended up in rehab. It took me 3 years to finally quit drinking but I have been using other things to fill that void, I did manage to stay 12 months clean and sober but my anxiety, especially meeting anyone new was too difficult. I am now at the point where I have had enough of the self medication, I know it's making my anxiety worse. I recently got laid off work and was relieved to be honest. So I just want to talk to people who have experienced the same feelings as me and hopefully make some friends and find relief. Thanks

I'm new on here and battling with chronic pain

replies: 1

Hi everyone. I am new on here and thought I would try something new and share my story. I am 34, have a successful career, great friends, a house and a beautiful Border Collie to keep me company. But i also struggle every day with chronic pain and an anxiety disorder. At the moment I have been going through a major pain episode and it feels like everything is a little too much. I'm usually the person who is there to support everyone else so its hard for me to reach out to my family and friends as i don't want to be a burden. So here I am.

New to This...kinda blue but its cold

replies: 14

Hello everyone, Thought Id say hello even though I've been lingering in the background for a few months. It's been informative reading the updates and what stuff people are going through. I have been battling a lot lately with being down and left out and rejected quite a bit. I belong to the gay community and find it kinda sad that it's become harder to meet people who will make the effort to do the simple things like coffee and brunch. I'm an up kind of guy and think I'm friendly inviting people out left right and centre but to no avail. Its kinda getting repetitive and I find myself repeating past hurts and repetitive actions and responses when people let me down. Ive become wary and find it hard to trust new friends etc and its doin my head in.It kinda tears me up inside and some days its a struggle. What do you thing is my best options? Ive tried so hard to be inclusive but cant feel the same way instead.

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie in here.

replies: 3

I'm so new I'm not even sure if I'm posting in the right place. Please feel free to delete if I'm in the wrong area. Just wanted to say hi to everyone, and hope someone is having a great day. Not sure where to post something about myself and what I a... View more

New here - hi

replies: 2

First post. I have been dealing with depression /anxiety for about 15+ years. I was bullied as a fat kid and never really felt like I fit in then at age 22 my father commit suicide. I had a lot of counselling post that and learnt to get anxiety and depression under control. I actually had a few years where I felt more alive than ever after he went. My main concern is these days (it's been creeping back up) is that I will end up like my father - alcoholic and on the brink. I think about it a lot. My wife is heavily pregnant and I am making her very nervous because I am acting 'childish' in her eyes - she says its like I act like I have missed out on my youth and that she is worried I wont love our child. It is a planned baby and I am ready to be a father, I am just not as into being overly prepared as her - I feel that parenting will come naturally. I just want us to remain active once the baby comes and not become couch potato parents that work and come home to the kids, sleep repeat. I saw my parents do that and it eventually sent them both insane. I'd rather get out after work and see a movie or visit friends - we have a lot of arguments about our clash of opinions on friends and their involvement in life. I would rather have friends around me all the time, she is happy with 2-3 hours a week. I feel that the lack of time I spend with friends these days has meant that I don't get enough time to air my dirty laundry so I bottle all of this inside till I crack with her. Man I wish I could explain this to her and just have her understand. She sees my attempts at explaining to her as her company not being sufficient and so it just stays inside. I am not sleeping well either - I dream about work a lot and what I 'should have said' in situations. I beat myself up a lot - to the point that when I am in meetings, I totally lose my train of thought and can't concentrate - instead I am thinking about what I should say that would be witty and make people like me. It's just like being at school again. I am ambitious but I have not been able to get very far in my career as I struggle to network. I don't blame people for keeping their distance from me - my anxiousness comes off quite strongly. I feel like I have become such a weirdo. I even go so far as to keep jumping on the latest fad - both in work and leisure to try impress people. I say and do such random things and later on just hate myself for it. I wish I could just keep a straight path. chat soon all

New and Confused

replies: 2

Hi I read the rules and its really hard for me sometimes to focus in reading.. I have Severe PTSD ,Anxiety Depression, Agoraphobia, Social phobia, I also suffer from Chronic Pain from accidents.. Ive been hit by drunk drivers three times! Then trying to stop an ex boyfriend driving I stupidly got in the vehicle.. I couldn't get him to go home.. he kept driving while I tried convincing him to let me drive.. He passed out driving on a snowy night we went through guard rails and went down 14ft down a mountain side..... I will never forget that night.. The roads terrify me now... I also have SVT (supervantricular Tachyardia). Ive been through so much abuse through my life.. Now I finally found someone and been married to him for 6 1/2 years now.. But I'm still sick! I want to work but no one responds to my resumes.. I feel hopeless....... =( Is it because something is wrong with me? Do people notice? =(

New Person, need some help

replies: 7

Hi, totally new to depression and anxiety, have been to doctors and have gave me tablets and booked into to talk to somebody next week, looking re-assurance that I can recover from this, thanks in advance.

Meet your community champions! replies: 12

HELP..Am I posting in the right section? replies: 10

SM has changed her username! replies: 3

Intro post im new replies: 3

New here with a little bit of health anxiety replies: 6

First post, just saying G'day 😊. replies: 4

I'm new on here and battling with chronic pain replies: 1

New to This...kinda blue but its cold replies: 14

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie in here. replies: 3

New here - hi replies: 2

New and Confused replies: 2

New Person, need some help replies: 7